You are working alongside automation engineers and find it daunting as you don’t code? or you recently started testing and are seeking ways to boost your value? Then the following tips may help you.

CARE FOR CUSTOMERS

Sit with your users and see how they use the product. Learn what is important to them, where they are struggling and furthermore how they use the product. If you know what your users are demanding, which problems they are facing regularly it will help you to see the product differently during testing.

WORK FOR PROGRAMMERS

Ask your developers what they are concerned about. Ask what they would like you to test. They know the product from the code the best so their input on what needs/should be tested should matter to you. It will help you not just checking this single feature or bug but also keeping the bigger picture and other modules in mind.

WHAT IF?

Show up at design meetings and have a louder presence at planning meetings. Blast the team with relentless “what if” scenarios by using your domain expertise and user knowledge.  Remove the explicit assumptions one at a time and challenge the team, even at the risk of being ridiculous (e.g. what if the internet connection is lost?  what if their phone battery dies?).

NEW IDEAS

Read testing blogs and books, attend conferences to get in touch with other fellow experts. Exchanging results and experience can give you valuable insides on you own processes and may also provide new tips and tricks. Pilot new ideas to tweak your processes. Just don’t be status quo.

HELP WITH AUTOMATION

Share your thoughts on what needs to be automated and don’t be narrow-minded in determining what to automate. What is difficult to test manually or which tests are just mere monkey testing. Your input is important in prioritizing the automation of tests.